[QCWA] Re: QCWA - - Status Quo Discussion

[Vic]

Ladies and Gentlemen, let's not forget that QCWA launched, amid 
appropriate fanfare in the official publication of QCWA, a Mentoring 
Program!  This was met with enthusiasm by many and with commitment by a 
few.  ONE team (to the best of knowledge readily available) was 
'officially' invested in this activity -- myself as mentor to a brand 
new amateur radio operator - one who went from NIL to Extra in one 
testing session.

This ham, AI4MI, is a most interesting and personable middle-aged family 
man, one possessed of great devotion to amateur radio and what it has 
always stood for.  He did not merely memorize for the exams, but took 
much time and effort to prepare himself and understand what he was 
doing.  He has diligently applied himself to gaining skill with the 
code, not because he had to do so, but because he knew it was the 
hallmark of the true and complete amateur radio operator.  I was honored 
to agree to his request to become his 'mentor' in this new program which 
roughly coincided with his license award.  After some time had passed 
and no response to our original 'application' was received, an effort 
was made to formalize our relationship in the program.  We finally 
received notification that we were, indeed, a mentor-mentee team.  And 
we proceeded, entirely on our own, to do what mentors and mentees do, as 
best we could see our way to do it.  Chris has become an accomplished 
operator and all-around accomplished ham, one QCWA can be proud to have 
a claim to have influenced.

I might add further:  at one month into his license term Chris asked to 
become a member of QCWA.  He immediately was added to the Friends of 
Chapter 119 List and 24 years and 11 months hence, Chris will become a 
bona fide member of QCWA.  In the ensuing years, I'm sure, Chris will 
match his record as he approaches his second anniversary as a licensed 
ham of faithful attendance at local QCWA meetings and support of the 
local program.  This, ladies and gentlemen, is but one example of what 
ought to be happening in QCWA Chapters all across the U.S. and Canada, 
indeed, around the world.

And perhaps it is -- but who would know?

Dare I suggest that 'Official' QCWA appears to be languishing in the 
realm of Aristotle's Pure Ideas when it should perhaps be pulsing with 
the fervor of committed action?  Respectfully, Vic W4VIC


Norm Gertz wrote:
> Jim writes:  "  Lets start active mentoring programs and really teach 
> some skills to the new generation before the skills die out with us! Let 
> the current QCWA members set examples that make the new generation want 
> to be like us."
> 
> How very well said Jim......my thoughts also.
> 
> Interesting to note that in the recent field day activity that a lack of 
> qualified phone operators surfaced.  An interesting twist for sure.
> 
> 73   Norm   K1AA

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